Using hearing aids in aircraft

Hearing Aids
#29

I know this got away from the OP question, but I just need to clarify the definition up for us in Australia (not having a go at anyone).

We might use definitions and title differently than US/CAN. The word ‘deaf’ is used two-way here.

‘Deaf’* would define someone who has no hearing at all, usually from birth.

‘deaf’ on the other hand is everyone else (to a point), they may also, as you say, define themselves as HoH.

NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) legally define someone (eligible) as ‘deaf’ if their hearing is 90dB or worse in the better ear (hence me), and there for I define myself as being deaf and Deaf.

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#30

@BrBarry: Thanks for that clarification. I was not meaning to offend with my initial (ignorant) comment.

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#31

All good @SpudGunner, just wanted to clarify anyway.

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#32

When on a plane, I either set my Phonak Marvels to “Speech in Loud Noise” or turn them OFF completely (till meal service). Can NOT tolerate the takeoff noise.

As for music, I have a standalone Astell&Kern music player plugged into a small, rechargeable battery pack that I connect the Phonak TV streamer to. With that basket of doodads in my lap, it streams music to my aids pretty good without my even noticing the airplane noise.

Just an FYI: Streaming music (via Qubuz or ROON) to my aids directly from my One+ Android phone gives me FAR BETTER quality! Those old TV Connector units are pretty lame by comparison to just streaming off a phone.

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#33

Yeah @BrBarry, Uk is much the same, with a couple of proviso’s…. We have Big “D” Deaf, pre-lingually Deaf, with sign language their first language…. Little “d” deaf/HOH, and never the Twain shall meet, confer or otherwise associate with each other…. in my experience, Big D are rather aloof, we HOH are out-with/outside their culture, doesn’t matter if you have a profound loss, you are an outsider, even if you can sign! As such, they will tolerate us, but only just, in their eyes we are only just above the hearing world, whom do not peg very high in their esteem, in fact they probably regard animals a peg or 2 above hearing folks, they probably got that one right? But this stems from their history, they were badly treated, and suffered persecution! Funny enough, perfectly hearing family members born into Big D families, are classed as Big D, again this is because sign language is their first language, the only other people accepted into their culture, is a BSL, (British Sign Language) Social Worker, Social Workers whom are highly proficient in sign language, and maybe interpreters, these are their main point of contact with the outside world…. Although the Big D culture, strangely enough, detest Cochlear Implant’s, they want their children to be born Deaf, so their culture lives on, for them they see no problem with being profoundly Deaf, as they can sign, it’s the hearing world that have the problem…. Cheers Kev :wink:

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#34

@kevels55: Your posts along this line are articulate, and I find them fascinating. Please continue, when you have the time and the inclination, since you’re permitting me to unravel a very complicated and fraught relationship we (Karen and I) had with a Deaf person we tried to help out of a bad spot in the late 1980s, and invited to stay with us for a spell. I never understood his world view before reading your posts along these lines.

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#35

The 2021 movie CODA (which stands for Children Of Deaf Adults) won the Best Picture Oscar. It’s about a Deaf couple with a hearing daughter, so not directly on point with what’s being discussed here. But a good film.

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#36

Yeah, me too–sometimes they work better that way.

#37

Tis indeed a fascinating subject @SpudGunner… Although, I am no expert in British Deaf culture, much of the learning of BSL, is focused on the cultural side of Deaf people, and how they view the world, suffice to say, many aspects are completely at odds with our viewpoint… Your BSL teacher is nearly always Big D…Because their language is visual, hand shape of signs is ultra important, facial expression equally so, and eye contact, sign language is fun, but difficult to learn, I say fun, because you have to get up in class, and make a complete fool of yourself, so the class gets plenty laughs, usually at your expense, its very back to front, for instance, being polite, we might say to someone on first meeting them, “if you don’t mind me asking, what is your name”? Then a Big D would sign, "your name what’, it is brutally direct, no small talk (until they know you), and direct to the point, sign language is very condensed, its 5 times faster than you can speak, and up to 7 times quicker, this is very dependent on who is signing, it has its own structure, grammar, verbs, and nouns, it has placement, timelines, finger spelling, and something very interesting called multi-channels, these have no oral translation, they are unique to Deaf culture/sign language… Personally, thinking back, I probably put in many, many hundreds of hours learning BSL, I might get a fright, if I knew the exact figure, but it was a most enjoyable experience, gave me (eventually) a lot of confidence, and a fair bit of insight into Deaf culture, and I ended up working with mostly HOH, and sometimes Big D… Cheers Kev :wink:

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#38

@kevels55: Thanks, Kev. Karen and I send best regards to you and Elspeth. Have a great weekend. (Playing any 8-ball??) :8ball:

:chair::chair::chair:

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#39

Thank you Jim…Likewise, I hope you Karen are both well. I got beat in a big comp today, in the last 64, lost 6-5, I played well though… So no complaints! I won (5-3 in the final) in the League doubles annual comp, about 6 weeks ago, tis not bad at 65, I am now the oldest player to hold a league title in Inverness, my playing partner is 63 yo, he’s now the second oldest :rofl: I am still competing against players more than half my age, the day before (a Saturday) I got beat in the final of the another annual league singles comp 5-3, I play in 2 different leagues… I still enjoy playing against the better players, and I get an occasional trophy :upside_down_face:

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#40

@kevels55: Is it true they’re so cheap in Inverness that they paint golf balls and use them?

But … to get back on topic: would you mute your hearing aids lest the sound of the balls clicking distract you while playing in a tournament?

I sort of feel as though we’re getting too sensitive to everyday things, sometimes … Anyone who has ever flown in one of the older military prop-driven sky buggies will tell you that cabin noise while flying today is nothing compared to the old days. Hell - ask Chuck @cvkemp !

As for me, if cabin noise bothers me, I just mute my aids. That’s enough attenuation for me.

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#41

I take my aids out on planes and use headphones to watch downloaded Netflix stuff with captions on.

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#42

@Karentoo: Sorry to be curious, but what factor causes you to want to remove your HAs?

#43

The combination of several factors.

  • My Oticon streaming app is set up on my phone, not my iPad, because of issues with Bluetooth “competing” on my iPhone and iPad.

  • To preserve rechargeable battery life

  • I like portable, folding headphones that I can pack in my backpack for travel. I’ve had trouble finding good, folding wired headphones. Most in the in-the-ear, iPod styles fall out of my ears. When my last folding over the ear set stopped working (after ~20 years) I found a pair designed to go in the ear, but with a silicon loop that goes over the ear for stability. It came with a small case that I put my aids in when I’m using earphones.

#44

I’m assuming you do that solely to eliminate the noise, but the consequences of course eliminate your ability to hear conversation or even emergency alerts from the crew. If you fly a LOT, I’d suggest obtaining a set of high quality over-the-ear cupped noise-canceling headphones. Those will ALMOST eliminate the droning white noise of the engines and wind, but permit you to hear cabin conversations. I can’t comment on feedback between the headphones and hearing aids. One issue I’ve not seen discussed adequately is just HOW beneficial truly high-fidelity headphones can be to the severely hearing-impaired individual, but I know in my case even well regarded ear buds such as Apple’s AirPods Pros DON’T come close to the noise cancelation capabilities of over-the-ear headphones such as the Bose QC models, AND the Bose headphones produce a much superior sonic experience for bluetooth streamed music than do ANY earbuds I’ve tried. The single negative comment I’d make about the over-the-ear units I’d make is that they’re bulky. And, I’ll admit that the quality of streamed music that comes via the AirPods Pro is superior to that which I can stream into my ears via my (Phonak-manufactured) Costco KS-10s.

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#45

I switch my Widex hearing aids to the transport mode and turn them all the way down. I can still hear a little but am not annoyed by the plane noise.

#46

@SpudGunner Hi Jim FYI most airlines/aviation agencies have a safety mandate that directs airlines to provide an aisle seat for deaf or hearing impaired passengers. This is to allow the crew to ensure your attention has been gained and they can communicate instructions more easily by being right next to you (especially in an emergency) Its always a good idea to let the crew know (plus you can bag an aisle seat every time :).
@BrBarry ref feedback I have bose 35 noise cancelling over ear and still get a bit of feedback, I find if I turn the volume on HA (Jabra Enhance Pro) down low it fixes it (most of the time) or take them out and the Bose do a good job of playing the movies back or I blue tooth them to my phone for music.

hope that helps

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#47

I agree with @ibarn65.

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#48

When flying I access the transport program on my HA and turn it all the was down but still on to help with the noise and allow me a little sleep during the flight.